Using individual cluster-level power regulation circuits to extend LED light life

Abstract

A light emitting device can comprise a light emitter for emitting light at a defined light intensity and circuitry connecting a power source to the light emitter. The circuitry can adjust power provided to the light emitter over time to compensate for inefficiencies due to circuit and light emitter degradation. A more consistent light intensity of the emitted light over a life of the light emitting device and an improved life expectancy of the light emitter can be achieved than what would result if the power was not adjusted over time to offset degradation effects.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A light emitting device comprising:
 a light emitter for emitting light at a defined light intensity; and 
 circuitry connecting a power source to the light emitter, wherein said circuitry adjusts power provided to the light emitter over time to compensate for inefficiencies due to circuit and light emitter degradation, thereby achieving a more consistent light intensity of the emitted light over a life of the light emitting device and an improved life expectancy of the light emitter than what would result if the power was not adjusted over time to offset said degradation effects, wherein power adjustments over time made by a power regulation circuit connected to the circuitry are in accordance with a fixed profile curve for adjusting current over time to compensate for the circuit degradation effects. 
 
     
     
       2. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitter is at least one light-emitting diode (LED) designed for the defined light intensity. 
     
     
       3. The light emitting device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one LED is part of an LED cluster having a plurality of LEDs electrically connected in series, wherein the plurality of LEDs are physically arranged in a circular configuration. 
     
     
       4. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitter comprises a plurality of light emitters, wherein the power increase for each light emitter is independently controlled. 
     
     
       5. The light emitting device of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitters has a different rate of circuit degradation, wherein the circuitry provides a different power increase to the at least one light emitter having the different rate of circuit degradation. 
     
     
       6. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power regulation circuit connected to the circuitry, wherein the power regulation circuit increases the power supplied to the light emitter over time to compensate for circuit degradation effects. 
 
     
     
       7. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the increases in power over time increase current while holding voltage substantially constant. 
     
     
       8. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein adjustments in power are limited to a range defined for the power supply causing power adjustment for consistent light intensity to function for a span of time for the light emitting device, wherein after the span of time, no further adjustments are possible and the light intensity produced by the light emitter will degrade in accordance with further circuit degradation effects. 
     
     
       9. The light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry provides for calibration of the power adjustments, permitting sampling of output light intensity and a changing of power adjustments to ensure the output light intensity is a desired level. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 a light emitting device adjusting power supplied to a light emitter over time to compensate for circuit degradation effects, thereby producing a more consistent light intensity from the light emitting device over time and an improved life expectancy of the light emitter than possible in absence of adjusting power over time, wherein adjustments to the power over time are made in accordance with a fixed profile curve for adjusting current over time to compensate for the circuit degradation effects. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjusting the power over time comprises increasing current over time while keeping voltage substantially constant. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjustments to the power over time are automatically made by a power regulation circuit. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 measuring the light intensity output by the light emitting device; and 
 adjusting the power supplied to the light emitting device in order to change the light intensity output to a rated light intensity. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the power supplied to the light emitting device is manually adjusted, wherein the manually adjusted power becomes a desired light intensity to which subsequent power adjustments to the light emitting device for circuit degradation effects are to meet. 
     
     
       15. A method for independently regulating current to LED clusters comprises:
 receiving of a control signal by a master power controller to activate a plurality of LED clusters of an LED light fixture, wherein each LED cluster comprises a plurality of LEDs electrically connected in series, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged in a circular configuration; 
 providing of a power signal by the master power controller to a power regulation circuit of each LED cluster; 
 adjusting of the provided power signal over time by each power regulation circuit for each LED cluster to compensate for circuit degradation effects, thereby producing a more consistent light intensity from the light emitting device over time and an improved life expectancy of the light emitter than possible in absence of adjusting power over time, wherein the adjusting of the provided power signal is based upon a fixed profile curve for adjusting current over time to compensate for the circuit degradation effects; and 
 powering the LED cluster with the adjusted power signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the adjusting of the provided power signal over time comprises increasing current over time while keeping voltage substantially constant. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 measuring the light intensity output by the LED cluster; and 
 adjusting the power supplied to the LED cluster in order to change the light intensity output to a rated light intensity.